Lined reclosable container having opening and reclosing means



March 29, 1966 R. E. JACKE 3, 3,

LINED RECLOSABLE CONTAINER HAVING OPENING AND RECLOSING MEANS Filed Oct. 21, 1958 2 Sheets-Sneet 1 F' '9 4- INVENTOR RAYMOND E. JACKE /flmg id ATTORNEYS R. E. JACKE LINED RECLOSABLE CONTAINER HAVING OPENING March 29, 1966 AND RECLOSING MEANS v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 21, 1958 7 INVENTOR RAYMOND E- JACKE ATTORNEYS United States Patent O ice 3,243,098 LINED RECLOSABLE CONTAINERHAVING OPENINGv AND. RECLOSING. MEANS Raymond E. Jacke, Richmond, Va., assignor toReynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filad Oct. 21, 1958, Bar. No. 768,609 Claims. (Cl. 22-.5'1)

This inventionrelates to an improvedlined reclosable container of the type which may be initially assembled, filled and sealed. on high-speed packaging machinery and then may be openedv at the convenience of the user and reclosed, if desired for the purpose of rescaling the container. In particular, it relates to containers of this type wherein an etficient opening and reclosing means is required and whose functioning willin no way detract from the other capabilities of the lined container and will not prevent. substantial releasing of the liner of that container.

In my copending application, Serial No. 751,040 filed July 25, 1958, Lined Container for Liquids and Liner Therefor With Method for Rapidly Assembling the Same, now abandoned, one useful, and improved form of container for which the present invention is well suited, is disclosed. Such a container includes a liner securely bondedthereto and comprising a metallic surface in contact with the contents of the container and with the liner hermetically sealed afterl the container is filled. As will be understood, containers.of this nature are well adapted for packaging of liquid comestibles suchas milk, fruit juice or the like or for non-liquid products suchas cottage cheese, ice cream or the like, or for other flowable or non-flowable commodities, Inmost cases, however, such common factors as sanitation, leak-proofness, ease of opening and reclosing, lowinitial cost, attractive appearance and adaptability to being processed on conventional machinery, are of significance, regardless of the particular contents of the package. It, therefore, is a purpose ofthe present invention to provide a container which has characteristics consistent with the above enumerated factors.

One object is to provide a metallic lined hermetically sealed container having an opening and reclosing means including a tear strip in the'container top, the tearing of which, does not disturb the integrity of the container liner.

Another objectis to provide a metallic lined hermetically sealed container having an opening and reclosing means formed in the container top, the presence of which does not require modification of the container assembling, filling and sealing steps as would be practiced in the absence ofsuch an opening and reclosing means.

Another object is to provide an improved combination of acontainer structure havinga tear strip in its top portion, a sealedliner within the container, and a means in the top portionfor holding the container reclosed following the breaking of'the seal of the liner, the cooperating parts permitting, if desired, a substantial rescaling of the liner followingthe breaking of the original seal thereof.

A further object is to provide a comparatively rigid lined container having a'tearstrip in its top portion with an opening and reclosing means associated therewith, such means-serving to preserve the shape of the container andthe integrity of the liner when the container is reclosed after removal of a. portionof its contents.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent when the following description is considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing a pres: ently preferredform. of lined container having an ethcient opening and reclosing means and, fabricated by a high speed methodfor assemblingthe same.

"3,243,098" Patented Mar. 29, 1966 In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a filled and sealed unopened container.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 1 following the removal of the tear strip and with the overlapping top side flap extended horizontally.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the top of the container of FIG. 1 with both top side flaps extended horizontally.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3 and to a greatly enlarged scale and showing the folding of the liner along the top seam.

FIG. 5- is a sectional view through the liner to an enlarged scale and showing the liner with an unperforated metallic surface.

FIG. 5A is a view similar to FIG. 5 and showing the liner at a point where metal-to-metalsealing is employed.

FIG. 6 is a view-similar to FIG. 4 and showing the liner raised in preparation for breaking the sealed condition of the container.

FIG. 7 is a persepctive view of the opened container with the seal broken and preparatory to dispensing the container contents and FIG. 8-is a perspective View of the reclosed container.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the completed container package generally represented at 10 and having any con ventional parallelepiped form with flat bottom, top and sidewall. portions formed of a paperboard material or the like into a comparatively rigid, box-like shape, may be encased in any suitable overwrap (not shown) or may be devoid of an overwra-p whenever desired. If an overwrap is crnpioyed, no separate tear means therefor is required, as will later appear. Such a package may be formed. by any suitable method whereby a liner with the characteristics, later to be described is incorporated therein, but I prefer to employ the method of container fabrication disclosed in my above mentioned application.

In view of the significance of the liner in the combination of structure, an explanation of its construction is desirable prior to describing the container and reference therefore, is made to FIGS. 4, 5, 5A, and 6. In general, the liner is of the type disclosed in my copending application, Ser. No. 638,016, filed February 4, 1957, now Patent No. 2,998,178, Lined Container for Liquids and Liner Therefor and preferably comprises a laminated structure having on one side a thin layer 11 of metallic foil, preferably aluminum, and on the other side a somewhat thicker layer 12 of a porous material such as tissue paper. A centrally located layer 13 of a material impervious to heated wax and comprising for example, flexible paper or plastic film, is suitably disposed between layers 11 and 12. On the sides of the central layer 13, two spaced layers 14 and 15 of a heat sealing composition such as a microcrystalline wax are provided, thus forming the liner into a five-layered or laminated structure. Accordingly, when heat is applied to the liner by any suitable means, the wax layers tend to flow, but due to the presence of the Wax impervious layer, the direction of fiow or migration is controlled and takes place in an outward direction. Moreover, application of pressure also assists in causing wax to flow even when no heat is employed, a feature of which the present invention takes advantage.

The wax-which migrates through tissue layer 12 is intended essentially to adhere to the inner surfaces of the container elements, although part of such wax is employed for double sealing of certain seams of the liner as described in my above first mentioned application. Migration of wax through the tissue paper presents no problem, but for sealing of the confronting surfaces of the metallic layer 11 of the liner, means must be provided for permitting passage of the Wax through an otherwise impervious metallic layer. I, therefore, provide lightly punctured banks ofperforations in that layer at the required locations for sealing by passing thereover an abrading means, such as a rouletting wheel, or roller cover with emery cloth, or equivalent means, while under sufiicient pressure to form a series of spaced pin holes (FIG. 5A) of sufficient size to permit the wax to exude therethrough for sealing purposes.

A typical container employing the invention may be formed from a cardboard blank having a front wall portion 20, a rear wall portion 21 and side wall portions 22 and 23. Hinged to the upper edges of the front and rear walls are top flap members 24 and 25 respectively. These flap members have a combined length, as best seen in FIG. 4, which is less than the distance between the front and rear walls of the assembled container. Hinged to side wall 23 at its upper edge is a flap 26 herein defined as an underlying flap, which in assembled container relation, however, folds over the top flap members 24 and 25. Flap 26 cooperates essentially with a flap 27 hinged to the top edge of side wall 22 and herein defined as an overlapping flap. The flaps 26 and 27 may be of either equal or unequal lengths, but in any case, have a combined length substantially greater than the distances between side walls 22 and 23. In general, I prefer to make fiap 27 longer than flap 26.

Referring now to FIG. 1, as an important feature of the invention, I provide as an integral part of the overlapping flap 27 a tear strip 39 extending completely across the transverse dimension of the fiap and having a slightly protruding edge 31 extending from the front side of the container. This tear strip is bounded on one edge by a weakened tear line 32 disposed inboard of the extreme edge of the flap and forming a panel section 33 of that flap between the edge and the tear line 32. On another edge the tear strip is bounded by a weakened tear line 34 of irregular configuration providing a distinctly formed hook shaped reclosing tab 35 integral with the top flap 27 when the tear strip is removed as by peeling-back the same by grasping it at its protruding edge 31. Within the underlying fiap 26, a suitable slit 36 is provided for reception of the hook shaped reclosing tab 35 during reclosing of the container. The tab 35 hooks into the slit 36 and the tab and slit are so constructed as to substantially eliminate either transverse or longitudinal sliding of one with respect to the other when they are engaged. Thus upon engagement of the same a rigid tip portion of the container is established serving to preserve the box-like shape and to reduce stress upon the rescaled liner during handling of the partially filled container. When no overwrap is employed with the container 10, the undersurface of panel section 33 may have thereon a suitable adhesive so that the top of the container may be fully closed by the adherence of the flaps 26 and 27 along that panel section during the original closing of the container.

When, however, any overwrap is employed, the tear strip construction as described serves to rupture that overwrap in a neat manner during initial opening thus preserving the general appearance of the package without undue mutilation of the overwrap. For example, detaching of the tear strip 31 first cuts the overwrap along lines substantially identical wtih tear lines 32 and 34 and since the flap 27 is now accessible, the lifting of the same as indicated in FIG. 2, then cuts the overwrap neatly along the right-hand edges of the walls and 21. Likewise, the subsequent lifting of flap 26 cuts the overwrap neatly along the left-hand edges of the walls 20 and 21.

Considering now FIG. 3 in which both flaps 27 and 26 are fully extended during an initial opening of the container, the disposition of the sealed inner liner will become apparent. It will be understood that the visible portion of that liner comprises the paper layer 12 thereof and that during the previous filling and sealing of the container heat and pressure had been applied to select portions of the liner. For example, in a preferred procedure the liner surface 12 in contact with the top flaps 24 and is sealed to the under surfaces thereof as seen in FIG. 4

4- and the triangular portions of the liner in contact with fiaps 26 and 27 are likewise sealed to those flaps, these steps taking place prior to the folding of the liner seam shown in that figure.

Moreover, as described in my application, Serial No. 751,040, the liner is sealed to itself along a bottom seam and along a side seam extending along one of the wall portions as well as along the top seam and if desired a side expansion pleat of the liner may be provided to accommodate bulging stresses. It will also be particularly noted from FIG. 3 that the extreme ends of the folded seam at the top of the container terminate inboard of the slit 36 in flap 26 and of the tear line 34, which defines the tab 35 in flap 27. Furthermore, a generous area of the liner is provided for the top seam and sulficient to permit the user to raise the top flaps 24, 25 through a substantial angle during the unfolding of that top seam as noted in FIG. 6. While the liner is shown as being folded over the side top flap 24, it could equally well be folded over the flap 25, but in any event it preferably is folded so that the unsealed edges 41 and 42 lie at the top of the folded seam and are readily available for lifting into opening position. Also by so folding the top seam a better protection is secured against a rescaled seam being unintentionally stretched open as a partially filled container is being handled. As will be noted in FIG. 4 the edges of the cooperating side top flaps 24 and 25 form a snug fit with the two plies of the diner interposed therebetween and minimize any tendency for the container contents to splash or pass outwardly into the folded seam.

With the foregoing description in mind the scaling functions of the perforations 16 in the confronting metal layers of the liner as employed with the seam at the top of the container, will now be evident. Rather than extend the band of perforations 16 of the edge of the metallic layers of the liner, I locate the same inwardly of that edge as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7 leaving an unsealed metal to metal strip 40 at the edge of the liner seam. In so doing, I further employ a sufficient amount of liner material to form the generous fold above the top flap 24. It will be understood that this fold of the liner is made following the sealing of the container and without employing sufficient heat or pressure to cause the folded liner surfaces 12 to adhere to each other. Thus when the flaps 26 and 27 are opened as in FIG. 3, the user may easily pull upwardly the folded seam to the position indicated in FIG. 6.

At this time the unbonded outer edges 41 and 42 of the seam may be separated as by use of the fingers and the sealed portion of the seam as indicated generally at 43 may be pulled apart, the opened container now assuming the configuration seen in FIG. 7.

It will be appreciated, moreover, that due to the presence of the apertures 16 in the metal surface 11 0f the liner, these apertures being disposed in the bend generally indicated at 44, a small amount of cold wax will be exposed on the surface of the opened container after the edges 41 and 42 of the liner are separated. Thus, since the opening of the sealed container has taken place without requiring mutilation of the liner, this wax may be reemployed to give a substantial rescaling of the liner prior to reclosing of the container.

Following opening of the container as thus described, a portion of its contents may be dispensed as by tilting of the container. Thereafter, pushing of top flaps 24 and 25 toward each other to the position of FIG. 6 brings the seam edges 41 and 42 adjacent each other. The user may then squeeze the liner surfaces together along band 44 and the previously exuded cold wax then becomes available to form a substantial reseal of the liner along the original seam. The seam may then be refolded to the position of FIG. 3, the flap 26 bent inwardly and the flap 27 bent into overlapping relation to flap 26. The tab 35 then is inserted in slit 36 and a completely reclosed container is provided for theremainder of the con tents thereof.

Since the rescaling of the seam may be expected to result. in a weaker seal, having been performed by hand rather than by mechanical sealing apparatus, it is espe- 'cially important that the top portion of the rescaled condition retain its generally rigid reinforced nature. Accordingly, when the tab and slit are engaged as seen in FIG. 8', they. serve not only to preserve the shape of the box like container, but also to relieve the relatively Weak rescaled seam from undue stress. In fact, if such a container partially filled with a liquid, such as milk, is inadvertently placed on its side or inverted, the reinforcing of the seam by this tab andslit arrangement generally is adequate to prevent the seam from spreading apart and thus prevents leakage.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of the invention, it. will. be. understood, of course, that I do notwish. to belimited theretoandl, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any modifications as fall within. the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What is claimedis:

1. In combination, a linedreclosable container having a comparatively rigid box-like body portion including Walls joined. to. anopenable top portion comprising an overlappingfiap, and anunderlying flap, a multilayer liner affixed to. theinner. walls of said body portion and including ametallic. layer in contact. with the. container contents, an adhesive paper layer in contact with said walls and a wax layer intermediate said other layers, said-liner being folded. and sealed t itself along a metalto metal seam positioned along the container to portion under said flaps and movable upwardly into an unfolding position upon separation of said flaps, the sealed portion of said seam being spaced from the extreme edge of said liner thereby to provide an unsealed strip suitable for separation of its contacting metallic surfaces without mutilation of said liner during opening of said container, and said overlapping flap including a tear strip integrally formed there-in and said underlying flap including an opening, said tear strip during its removal from said container being arranged to tear along an irregular line and to form an irregular shaped reclosing tab on said overlapping flap, said tab being receivable in said opening to reclose said container.

2. In combination, a lined reclosable container having a comparatively rigid box-like body portion including a front wall portion having a first top flapjoined thereto, a rear Wall portion having a second top flap joined thereto, a side wall portion having an underlying top flap joined thereto, and a side wall portion having an overlapping top flap joined thereto, said first and second top flaps having a combined length less than the distance between said front and rear wall portions, a multi-layer liner affixed to the inner walls of said body portion and including a metallic layer in contact with the container contents, an adhesive paper layer in contact with said walls and said side top flaps, and a wax layer intermediate said other layers, said liner being folded and sealed to itself along a metal-to-rnetal seam positioned along the container top portion under said overlapping and underlying flaps and between said first and second flaps and movable upwardly into an unfolding position upon separation of said overlapping and underlying flaps, the sealed portion of said seam being spaced from the extreme edge of said liner thereby to provide an unsealed strip suitable for separation of its contacting metallic surfaces without mutilation of said liner during opening of said container, and said overlapping flap including a tear strip integrally formed therein and said underlying flap including an opening, said tear strip during its removal from said container being arranged to tear along an irregular line and to form an irregular shaped reclosing tab on said overlapping flap, said tab being receivable in said opening to reclose said container.

3. In combination, a reclosable container having a comparatively rigid box-like body portion including walls joined to, an openable top. portion comprising. an overlapping flap, and, an underlying,flap, and reclosing means on. said overlapping flap for engaging with, said; underlying flap during. reclosing of said, container, into. its original position, said, means serving to. preserve the shape of the box-like, container, said, overlapping flap, including a tear strip integrally formed therein, and extending completely across said; overlapping flap, said. underlyiing flap including an opening, said tear. strip, having a pair of opposed side edges. extending completely. across said overlapping, flap. and. detachably secured to' said overlapping flap, one of said side edges definin-g an. irregularly shaped reclosingtab on. said overlapping flap, the other side edge defining a. section of; said overlapping flap that is spaced from said reclosing tabwhen said. tear strip is removed from, said container,, said tab when engaged in said. opening, forming said. reclosing means,

4. In combination, a lined. reclosable container having a comparatively. rigid box-like body portion including a front wall portion having a first top flap joined thereto, a rearWall-portion having a. second topflap, joined thereto, a. side wall portion having an underlying top flap joined thereto, and a. side wall portion; having-anoverlapping top flap joined thereto, said first and second top flaps havinga combined length less than the distance between said front and rear wallportions, a liner in said container, said. liner being folded and sealed to, itself along a seam positioned along the container. top portion under said overlapping and underlying flaps and between said first and second flaps and movable upwardly into an unfolding position upon separation of said overlapping and underlying flap-s, the sealed portion of said seam being spaced from the extreme edge of said liner thereby to provide an unsealed strip suitable for separation of its contacting surfaces without mutilation of said liner during opening of said container, and said overlapping flap including a tear strip integrally formed therein and said underlying flap including an opening, said tear strip during its removal from said container being arranged to tear along an irregular line and to form an irregular shaped reclosing tab on said overlapping flap, said tab being received in said opening to reclose said container.

5. A container having an open end and having an underlying flap and an overlapping flap for closing said open end, said underlying flap having an opening therein, said overlapping flap having a removable tear-away portion that extends completely across said overlapping flap and defines a reclosing tab on said overlapping flap when said tear-away portion is removed from said container to initially open said container, said reclosing tab being receivable in said opening in said underlying flap to reolose said open end of said container, said removable tear-away portion having a pair of opposed side edges respectively detachably secured to said overlapping flap and extending completely across said overlapping flap, said opposed side edges being spaced from each other by said tear-away portion throughout the entire width of said overlapping flap, one of said side edges defining said reclosing tab on said overlapping flap, the other side edge defining a section of said overlapping flap that is spaced from said reclosing tab when said tear-away portion is removed from said container.

6. A container as set forth in claim 5, wherein said tear-away portion of said overlapping flap comprises a tear strip extending throughout the width of said overlapping flap.

7. A container as set forth in claim 5, wherein said overlapping flap has one end thereof hinged to a wall of said container and another end thereof secured to said underlying flap, and said tear-away portion corn prises a tear strip extending throughout the width of said overlapping flap and being disposed between said ends thereof.

8. A container as set forth in claim 5 wherein said tear-away portion has an end projecting beyond a side wall of said container to be readily grasped to remove said tear-away portion from said container.

9. In combination, a reclosable container having a comparatively rigid box-like body portion including walls joined to an openable top portion comprising an overlapping fiap, and an underlying flap, and reclosing means on said overlapping flap for engaging with said underlying flap during reclosing of said container into its original position, said means serving to preserve the shape of the box-like container, said overlapping flap including a tear strip integrally formed therein and extending completely across said overlapping flap, said underlying flap 10. In combination, a reclosable container having a comparatively rigid box-like body portion including Walls joined to an opena'ble top portion comprising an overlapping flap, and an underlying portion, and reclosing means on said overlapping flap for engaging with said underlying portion during reclosing of said container into its original position, said means serving to preserve the shape of the box-like container, said overlapping flap including a tear strip integrally formed therein and extending completely across said overlapping flap, said underlying portion including an opening, said tear strip having a pair of opposed side edges extending completely across said overlapping flap and detachably secured to said overlapping flap, one of said side edges defining an irregularly shaped reclosing tab on said overlapping flap, the other side edge defining a section of said overlapping flap that is spaced from said reclosing tab when said tear strip is removed from said container, said tab when engaged in said opening forming said reclosing means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,234,483 7/1917 Luke. 1,961,556 6/1934 Fallows 22951 1,980,851 11/1934 Crawford 229-51 1,985,590 12/1934 V/eiss 22951 2,152,323 3/1939 Moore 229-35 2,170,378 8/1939 Orstrom 22914 2,214,172 9/1940 Moore.

2,216,527 10/1940 Weiss 229-14 2,267,320 12/ 1941 Berch 93-6 2,292,653 8/ 1942 Palmer 229-14 2,335,913 12/1943 Buttery 22914 2,337,730 12/ 1943 Berch 229-14 X 0 GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE J. DRUMMOND, FRANKLIN T. GARRETT,

Examiners.

D. T. MOORI-IEAD, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A LINED RECLOSABLE CONTAINER HAVING A COMPARATIVELY RIGID BOX-LIKE BODY PORTION INCLUDING WALLS JOINED TO AN OPENABLE TOP PORTION COMPRISING AN OVERLAPPING FLAP, AND AN UNDERLYING FLAP, A MULTILAYER LINER AFFIXED TO THE INNER WALLS OF SAID BODY PORTION AND INCLUDING A METALLIC LAYER IN CONTACT WITH THE CONTAINER CONTENTS, AN ADHESIVE PAPER LAYER IN CONTACT WITH SAID WALLS AND A WAX LAYER INTERMEDIATE SAID OTHER LAYERS, SAID LINER BEING FOLDED AND SEALED TO ITSELF ALONG A METALTO-METAL SEAM POSITIONED ALONG THE CONTAINER TOP PORTION UNDER SAID FLAPS AND MOVABLE UPWARDLY INTO AN UNFOLDING POSITION UPON SEPARATION OF SAID FLAPS, THE SEALED PORTION OF SAID SEAM BEING SPACED FROM THE EXTREME EDGE OF SAID LINER THEREBY TO PROVIDE AN UNSEALED STRIP SUITABLE FOR SEPARATION OF ITS CONTACTING METALLIC SURFACES WITHOUT MULTILATION OF SAID LINER DURING OPENING OF SAID CONTAINER, AND SAID OVERLAPPING FLAP INCLUDING A TEAR STRIP INTEGRALLY FORMED THEREIN AND SAID UNDERLYING FLAP INCLUDING AN OPENING, SAID TEAR STRIP DURING ITS REMOVAL FROM SAID CONTAINER BEING ARRANGED TO TEAR ALONG AN IRREGULAR LINE AND TO FORM AN IRREGULAR SHAPED RECLOSING TAB ON SAID OVERLAPPING FLAP, AND SAID TAB BEING RECEIVABLE IN SAID OPENING TO RECLOSE SAID CONTAINER. 